• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ร—
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Main Dishes

    Stewed Cabbage

    Last modified: Jun 3, 2025 ยท Published by Adina, Mar 24, 2022 ยท 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with the title stewed cabbage.

    This is our favorite stewed cabbage recipe: the simplest way of cooking cabbage. A comforting, easy-to-make dish that can be served on its own or as a side dish.

    stewed cabbage in a small pot on the table and a glass of water behind it.

    This easy stewed cabbage dish is probably the simplest way of cooking cabbage. And it tastes absolutely amazing; you will love it!

    You can also call it Varza Calita, as it is a typical vegan or fasting dish eaten in Romania all through the year; I think my grandma used to cook it at least every two weeks.

    Make more delicious stews, such as Green Beans with Potatoes and Tomatoes, Polish Sauerkraut Stew, or Chicken and Leeks.

    Featured comment

    Angie: It turned out really appetizing. I love the colour and it tastes great too. Thanks for the share.

    Jump to recipe
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to make stewed cabbage?
    • Tip
    • Store and reheat
    • How to serve?
    • More cabbage recipes
    • Recipe
    • Stewed Cabbage

    Recipe ingredients

    listed ingredients for making cabbage stew.

    White cabbage: either regular round one or sweetheart cabbage; they both taste great. Sweetheart cabbage might cook a little faster; check about 5-10 minutes earlier. For a meaty cabbage stew, make this Ribs and Cabbage recipe.

    Vegetables: onion, red bell pepper, carrots, tomato.

    Spices: dried savory (or thyme), fine sea salt, and black pepper.

    Other ingredients: sugar, tomato paste, sweet paprika powder, red wine vinegar, and fresh parsley.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make stewed cabbage?

    chopped cabbage in a large bowl.

    Step #1: Quarter the cabbage, remove the core, cut it into small pieces. Chop the other vegetables.

    saute carrots, onions, and peppers in a pan.

    Step #2: Saute onions. Add peppers and carrots and saute briefly.

    sauteing vegetables and tomato paste for stew in a pot

    Step #3: Add tomato, paprika, tomato paste, and sugar. Stir briefly.

    mixed cabbage and vegetable to make stew in a pot.

    Step #4: Add about ยฝ of the chopped cabbage. Cook briefly, stirring often, until the cabbage wilts.

    You will have to add the cabbage in 2-3 batches (depending on the size of your pot) as there is too much of it.

    adding fresh cabbage to a pot to make stew.

    Step #5: Now, you will have enough room in the pot to add the rest of the cabbage. Let it wilt.

    stewed cabbage on the stovetop.

    Step #6: Cook on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until very tender.

    Tip

    Add only the recommended water โ€” it may seem little, but the cabbage releases liquid too. Let it stew in its own juices; a slight catch at the bottom adds flavor. Stir occasionally, but quickly, to keep the steam in.

    Store and reheat

    Refrigerate the stewed cabbage in the cooking pot with the lid on or in an airtight container; it will be fine for 3-4 days.

    Reheat: Cabbage stew tastes even better each time you reheat it. Reheat in the pot on the stovetop, stirring often. Add a small splash of water if necessary.

    How to serve?

    We always have stewed cabbage as a main dish with white bread (try it with yogurt soda bread), basic polenta, or boiled potatoes.

    If you wish, you can serve the cabbage as a side dish for pork neck, veal meatballs, or any other meatballs, roasted half chicken, roast duck, or goose.

    romanian stewed cabbage in a pot.

    More cabbage recipes

    • a bowl full of red cabbage with red wine sprinkled with fresh parsley.
      Red Cabbage with Red Wine
    • hungarian cabbage and noodles in a large Dutch oven.
      Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles - Haluski
    • stuffed savoy cabbage rolls with potatoes and sauce on a plate.
      Stuffed Savoy Cabbage - German Recipe
    • cooked sweetheart cabbage in a bowl on a striped kitchen cloth.
      How to Cook Sweetheart Cabbage

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    a small clay pot full of stewed cabbage.

    Stewed Cabbage

    This is the most delicious recipe for stewed cabbage, the simplest way of cooking cabbage. It is great on its own or as a side dish.
    4.55 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Stews
    Cuisine: Romanian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 4 -6 servings
    Calories: 168kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 1 white cabbage about 3.5 lbs/ 1.5 kg, Note
    • 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 onion
    • 1 large red bell pepper
    • 1 large carrot
    • 1 large tomato
    • 2 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon dry savory
    • 1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar to taste
    • 1 small bunch of parsley
    • fine sea salt and ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Prepare cabbage: Quarter the cabbage and remove the core. Chop the cabbage into small pieces; they don't have to be extremely fine. Set aside. Finely chop the onion.
      1 white cabbage + 1 onion
    • Chop the pepper, carrot, and tomato. Keep the vegetables separated; they have different cooking times.
      1 large red bell pepper + 1 large carrot + 1 large tomato
    • Saute: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook the onions until translucent. Add the pepper and the carrot and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the tomato, tomato paste, sweet paprika, and sugar and stir for about 2 minutes.
      3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil + onions + peppers + carrots + tomato + 2 heaped tablespoon tomato paste + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • Start adding the cabbage as much as it fits in the pot (2-3 batches, depending on the size of the pot). Add the dried savory as well. Stir well to coat with the rest of the ingredients, and let cook for a few minutes until the cabbage wilts down a bit.
      cabbage + 1 teaspoon dry savory
    • Add the rest of the cabbage, stir again, and add just a little water, about 50 ml/ scant ยผ cup.
    • Simmer: Stir again, cover very tightly and cook on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the cabbage is tender.
    • Stir a few times in between, but do it quickly and cover again immediately to prevent losing too much steam from the pot. The cabbage should stew in its liquid, and it will not be too bad if it catches slightly at the bottom of the pot (but only slightly). That makes the stewed cabbage even sweeter and tastier.
    • Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar for a fruitier taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.
      fine sea salt and ground black pepper + 1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar + 1 small bunch of parsley
    • The dish can be easily reheated (Note 2).

    Notes

    1. Cabbage type: You can use a round head of white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage. If using sweetheart cabbage, start checking if it's done 5-10 minutes earlier.
    2. Make in advance: It's a good idea to make the cabbage stew one day in advance; it tastes even better once reheated.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/6 of the dish | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 228mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Easy-to-Make Main Dish Recipes

    • sour cream potatoes garnished with herbs on a plate.
      Sour Cream Potatoes
    • chardonnay chicken, lime slices and fresh thyme in a cast iron skillet.
      Creamy Chardonnay Chicken
    • scrambled eggs and cabbage in a skillet.
      Eggs and Cabbage Recipe โ€“ So Good!
    • one slice of asparagus and salmon quiche on a small plate with some herbs.
      Asparagus and Salmon Quiche

    Sharing is caring!

    894 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adina v says

      August 23, 2022 at 11:50 am

      Hi. Try without sugar, but when the cabbage is 1/2 cooked add a grated apple. (Grated on a large grater, the apple must be a sour hard variety, skin included)

      Reply
    2. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 14, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      What a wonderful way to prepare cabbage, I've no doubt I would really enjoy this! My 4 year old daughter would love this too (she even loves sauerkraut!) but my 6 year old son - forget it. It would be torture trying to get him to eat cabbage! I'm hoping one day he'll see the light and I just keep trying too ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    3. amrita says

      March 09, 2017 at 10:51 am

      Hey dear...Thanks for sharing this Traditional Romanian Dish...This dish looks pretty similar to our Indian Cuisine except one or two ingredients..

      Reply
    4. Rosa says

      March 09, 2017 at 9:01 am

      Hi Adina! What a great dish! Don't give up on your kids trying it. Keep re-introducing it ever so often. I do this with my kids and certain dishes that they didn't eat before, they eat now. ๐Ÿ™‚

      I LOVE THE NEW DESIGN! It feels light and airy and your photos really stand out. Glad to see that you're posting again. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    5. Denise Browning says

      March 08, 2017 at 11:19 pm

      Love flavorful vegetarian dishes. This looks simply fantastic! -- and its is low carb. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Congrats on the new blog design. So beautiful!

      Reply
    6. Sissi says

      March 08, 2017 at 2:27 pm

      Adina, it looks fabulous. I can understand why you thought it was easy.... this is what I'm thinking now but I know that such recipes are very tricky and easy to spoil by an unexperienced cook. I'm still very tempted to try it!

      Reply
    7. Marvellina Goh says

      March 08, 2017 at 5:00 am

      Wow...another idea for cooking cabbage! My kids love them stewed like the way you do it. By the way, just want to let you know that I haven't been receiving your email updates for a while, I'm not sure what's going on. But loving your new layout!

      Reply
    8. Evi @ greenevi says

      March 07, 2017 at 5:35 pm

      First of all I have to say I absolutely love your new design, it's simply beautiful!
      And so is this delicious cabbage dish, it sounds amazing, I can't wait to try it. Pinned ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
    9. Brie says

      March 07, 2017 at 3:07 pm

      Another gorgeous and colorful veggie dish! Can't wait to try this one especially with all the cabbage on sale this month. Don't worry about the kids, I hated cabbage as a child and now I'll happily eat it cooked or raw ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    10. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

      March 07, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      It turned out really appetizing. I love the colour and bet it tastes great too. Thanks for the share, Adina.

      Reply
    4.55 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me โ†’

    Elderflower Recipes

    • elderflower jelly with apple juice in a small jar.
      Elderflower Jelly (or Jam) Recipe
    • a small bottle of elderflower syrup, half a lemon and a bunch of elderflowers in a vase.
      Elderflower Syrup Recipe
    • elderflower gin cocktail in a long glass, lemon and flowers around it.
      Elderflower Gin Cocktail
    • elderflower champagne in a glass with lemon slices and flowers around it.
      Non-Alcoholic Elderflower Champagne (Elderflower Juice)

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.